Cops Corner: End of the line for this driver

JUNE 16

No way home

8:24 a.m., 5900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: A southbound vehicle triggered the island’s license-plate recognition camera system and alerted officers to a car owned by a driver with a suspended license. The car was pulled over and its driver conceded he knew his license was suspended. The driver was issued a citation and allowed to call relatives to drive him and his car home.

Get the point

5:12 p.m., 6800 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Public service: An officer was called to a retail store on a report of a needle on the ground near the entrance. The officer couldn’t find the needle and asked inside the store if anyone knew anything about the report. No one did. An employee of another store said he had seen an empty pen on the ground that he picked up disposed of. The employee said he thought someone could have mistaken it for a needle.

JUNE 17

Suspended, not drunk

3:34 a.m., 4700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: After stopping a car owned by a man with a license suspended in connection with a DUI charge, an officer reported smelling alcohol on the breath of that car’s driver. The driver passed a field sobriety test and was allowed to proceed, and the car’s owner, who was riding in the passenger seat, was informed of his suspended-license status.

Homeward bound

9:16 a.m. 4700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Public service: Police responded to a hotel to help a man get home. The man told police he was waiting for a ride-sharing service to arrive, but hotel staff members were concerned because the man didn’t remember his address. The man gave police his mother’s local phone number, which was called to ascertain the local address, which was relayed to the man to advise the ride-sharing driver.

Almost a crime

2:30 p.m., 100 N. Shore Road

Alcoholic beverages: A couple on the beach were spotted by an officer with unopened alcoholic drinks on their blanket. The officer related to them than alcohol was not allowed on the beach, and an opened container constituted a misdemeanor. The couple apologized, packed up and left.

Not a resort, anymore

4:49 p.m., 1500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious vehicle: A neighbor called police to report trespassing at the property of the former Colony Beach & Tennis Club. An officer found a rental car in the neighboring condominium parking lot. The officer went through a hole in the property fencing and looked around but found no one on the property. The caller was advised of his options regarding the trespassing car in the parking lot.

JUNE 18

Be careful dialing

6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Abandoned 911 call: An officer responded to an abandoned 911 call at the address. Once there, the officer learned that the homeowner’s daughter had been trying to call out of state but incorrectly dialed the area code. She became scared and hung up. The officer found nothing out of the ordinary.

He’s with us

2:14 p.m., 4400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Dog on the beach: Police were called about a dog on the beach near a vacation condo community. When police arrived, they found a properly identified and documented service dog. The dog’s owners said they were staying at the adjacent community.

How’d they get home?

2:31 p.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Found property: An office employee called police to report a car-key electronic fob, a key, an iPhone7 and photos found on the beach near the 5600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive. An officer took possession of the belongings and delivered them to the police station for safe-keeping. 

No one there

5:15 p.m., Longboat Pass Bridge

Nuisance acts: Officers responding to a report of juveniles jumping from the Longboat Pass bridge arrived to find no one around on the bridge or on the surrounding beach areas. It’s unlawful to jump from the bridge.

JUNE 19

Branching out

8:04 a.m., 500 block of Buttonwood Drive

Fire: Police and fire units responded to a report of a tree on electrical wires. Police monitored the incident as Florida Power & Light arrived to cut power to the area and Longboat Key Fire Rescue extinguished the fire.

Bad driving

3:19 p.m., 5300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Traffic: Officers received a “be on the lookout” report for a recklessly driven car northbound on GMD from the Bay Isles area. An officer found the vehicle in the 4000 block and followed. The officer reported the car crossed into the bicycle lane and crossed the double-yellow lines several times. The officer activated lights and siren in the 4700 block but the car didn’t stop until the 5300 block. The driver said she had not been paying attention and was listening to the radio. No impairment was indicated. With a valid license, no wants or arrest warrants, the driver was given written warnings for violation of the bicycle lane and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.